Praneeta Prakash 
[Source: FCCC/ Facebook]
The Consumer Council of Fiji and the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission will now further intensify market surveillance and regulatory actions to address critical food safety concerns.
This is following the signing of a memorandum of understanding with members of the National Taskforce on Food Safety.
Consumer Council Chief Executive Seema Shandil anticipates that this approach will lead to significant improvements in food safety standards as the council received close to 500 complaints related to food and beverages last year.
These complaints revolved around expired food items, mislabeled products, substandard meat products, and non-compliance with the Food Safety Act.
“There are a lot of issues out there in the marketplace in relation to food safety. So, we used to work together, but there was no such commitment. So, this will definitely solidify the commitment from all the stakeholders and will be going out in numbers again continuously because we want to see changes.”
Shandil also says several retailers have already been held accountable for violations by the taskforce recently.
“In the last two months, so to say December to January, we have conducted 128 market surveillance in relation to food and safety sector. And we have identified the same recurring issues that you all are aware of, like food trade meat products, sale of expired food products or products that is not fit for consumption. So, we continue to work together with these stakeholders to take action.”
Shandil says this partnership reinforces a shared commitment to tackling pressing food safety concerns and ensuring stricter measures to protect consumers in the country.
